Thursday, April 18, 2013

KAME HA-ME HAAA!!!!! (Ask Brian)

Dear family,

Let me give you a bit of an overview of life in Jamiaca:

The weather here is awesome. True, it is darn hot and sometimes after I am in an air conditioned building and I come out the humidity seems thick but I am pretty used to it for the most part. I rains her almost every day. Today for P-day we played soccer in the pouring rain…it was awesome. The Jamaicans thought we were crazy. They have a phobia that rain will give you pneumonia. When the rain comes it comes like a shower. It can be pouring hard like ten feet away from you…kind of like The Truman Show when he’s on the beach. It is amazing.

Everything is so green here. And wet. It’s great. The poverty here is a downside. There are madmen on the street. They are harmless, homeless, and crazy. Along with the poverty is immorality which I hate. I would vent more about it if I had the time.

On Saturday we did service. I got to use a machete to cut down foliage around a school. They also use machetes to cut yard. You crouch down really low and start chopping. You hold a stick in front of your foot so you don’t chop yourself. It was hard but fulfilling. The sweat dripped off me like crazy. I felt like an islander. Breadfruit tastes like potatoes (sort of). We fried some up and they tasted like fries. I also had some passion fruit (very tasty) and papaya (tastes like carrots but has some nasty seeds). The pineapple here is to die for. I also had some ackee. It is a fruit that tastes likes eggs when cooked…but not as good…and if you don’t cook it right it can poison you so I won’t try that too much.

Elder Smith is from Calgary Alberta. He is darn cool. The more missionaries I get to know, the happier I am that he is my trainer. No problems there. We are trying to be obedient and work hard. Last week was full of cancelations and a little rough but we’re hoping for a good week (when I say rough I mean nothing to do except tracting, which can be very ineffective). Elder Smith says elders always get packages but we aren’t sure if it is DOL or UPS. You’ll have to see.

Spiritually I feel like I am growing. It is frustrating to have to learn so much while other missionaries are so wise, but my knowledge of the gospel and discussion are growing. It’s all a matter of time.

Yikes Sarah! My heart jumped when I read about the car accident but not as much as when I heard you’ve been on a first date. I hope you had fun. Don’t be a prune (I think I meant prude). Date and have fun, but don’t you dare get a boyfriend. Elder Smith has a sister going to BYU and we had a talk about how protective we are of our younger sisters. You better be good. I’ve already seen lives destroyed in Jamaica. People here fight and kill about things like boyfriends and girlfriends and silly things. Girls here in the church have to go to America to get a decent fellow for the most part…so date them all! As long as you date a variety, I’ll keep my heart locked up and have strong eyes. I can’t believe Brian is in junior high. That is wild. I hope the family has all watched Lord of the Rings. Not that that has anything to do with you Brian. Hang with your friends, stay away from any and all girls (dad, council him against immoral media of all kinds), keep Nintendo limited (play it definitely but keep it under control). I know an elder who is an addict. He can’t stop thinking Nintendo. He even brought his Gameboy on his mission. I know you aren’t like that Bud. Just polish up those sports. I may be rusty at tennis but I am getting a lot of basketball and soccer. And swinging that machete is going to give me a mean forehand hit. Bless.

MOM! I need addresses for the Romney’s, King’s, Jakey’s mission address, the Dayley’s, Bergstrom’s, Rick’s, Pace’s family, and you need to give me an extra $30.00 for tithing because I need my conscience clear and blessings with my budget here! All very important. Oh, I can probably get a watch and clock here so don’t worry about that. I do want an ab roller. Please send it to me. Then I can have a tough stomach to help my back support for my backpack. Anyhow, I hope I got everything down here.

One Love,

Elder King

P.S. I met this kid who is fourteen years old and he’s bigger than Ken Ward…like the size of Brother Kam. That is one big hombre.